The vice-chancellor left the campus on May 14, when the university was closed sine die following killing of a student in police firing.

Nine deans and departmental heads out of 23 yesterday boycotted an Academic Council meeting and staged a sit-in in front of the VC's office for about half an hour from noon demanding appointment of a new VC. The nine are aligned with opposition parties, sources said.

Dr Akhtarul Islam, former President of SUST Teachers Association, addressed a brief rally during the sit-in, which was also attended by some other teachers.

Earlier on Tuesday, the nine senior teachers handed over a letter to SUST registrar demanding appointment of a new VC and resumption of academic activities by July 23.

"It will not be possible to work with the VC who had earlier resigned in the face of students' agitation", the letter said.

The VC had returned to the campus under protection by police and ruling party cadres, the letter claimed, saying, this tarnished the image of teachers.

The VC is busy 'managing personal interests since he is not interested in students' welfare', they alleged in the letter.

Signatories to the letter were Prof Dr Reza E Khondaker, Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Dr Muhammad Jainal Abedin, Prof Md. Younus, Prof Md. Ilyas Uddin Biswas, Prof Mohammad Mizanul Haque Kajol, Prof Tulshi Kumar Dass, Prof Sujoy Chakravarty and Prof Dr. Abdul Awal Biswas.

However, the Academic Council meeting started at 11 am and continued till 1-30 pm, Registrar Jamil Ahmed Chowdhury said after yesterday's meeting. The meeting took several important decisions, he said.

The decision to resume classes and other academic activities will be decided at a Syndicate meeting on July 24 because the Syndicate took the decision to close the university sine die after a student was killed in violence, the registrar said.

On Monday, AL-aligned teachers in a statement expressed their 'no-confidence' on VC Prof Musleh Uddin Ahmed and demanded appointment of a new VC from among SUST teachers. The statement signed by Dr. Akhtarul Islam threatened of agitation for non-compliance.

The statement said the VC on his return to the campus is hatching conspiracy to strengthen his position instead of demoting to improve the atmosphere.

The crisis can be resolved through appointment of a new

VC, the statement said and demanded a judicial probe into the May 14 incidents.

Meanwhile, the agitation for removal of the VC is gaining momentum in Sylhet as the 14-party opposition alliance has decided to give back-up support to the programmes of their student fronts.

Leaders of the opposition alliance and their student fronts at a meeting held at Shahid Md. Ibrahim Smriti Sangsad office at Sobhanighat in the city on Monday announced agitation programmes including public meeting to press the demand for "immediate withdrawal" of VC Prof Musleh Uddin Ahmed.

They started a mass contact programme yesterday which will continue till July 22 to gather support for removal of the VC.

Gano Forum will form a human chain today at the city's Court Point to press withdrawal of the VC and appointment of a new one.

The 14-party will also hold a public meeting at the same venue on July 23 on the same demand.

Monday's meeting was chaired by Awami League leader and 14-party alliance co-ordinator in Sylhet ANM Shafiqul Haque. It was addressed by, among others, Sylhet AL secretary-in-charge Abdul Khalique Mayon, district NAP president Syed Abdul Hannan and its secretary Govinda Paul, Ganotantri Party chief Barrister Arosh Ali and its secretary Md. Arif Miah, JSD president Lokman Ahmed, Gano Forum leader Ansar Khan, Samyabadi Dal leader Moshahid Ahmed, Sramik League president Ejajul Haque and general secretary Shamim Rashid Chowdhury.